Penn State football: Keiser, Zwinak to miss remainder of season

Ryan Keiser and Zach Zwinak will miss the remainder of the season due to injuries, Penn State confirmed Monday afternoon.

Both seniors, Keiser and Zwinak are both fifth-year players and out of eligibility.

A former walk-on safety from Selinsgrove, Keiser was named a team captain this season after earning a scholarship prior to the 2012 campaign. A versatile player known among his team members for his football IQ, Keiser played in 42 of a possible 43 games with 11 starts. He was third on the team with 25 tackles this season at the time of his injury and finishes his career with four interceptions.

Keiser was hurt at Penn State’s practice last Thursday.

Zwinak, from Frederick, Md., was hurt on the first play against Ohio State on Saturday. It appeared Zwinak hurt his left leg throwing a block on the game’s opening kick return. He had to be carted off the field.

The big, bulldozing back emerged at the midway point of 2012 when injury issues plagued Penn State’s running backs. Zwinak stepped up and gained 1,000 rushing yards despite not starting until the ninth game of the season.

Zwinak finishes his career 2,108 rushing yards and played in each of Penn State’s last 31 games.

Zwinak finishes 15th on Penn State’s career rushing list and has 18 career touchdowns despite starting just 11 games.

Penn State has used just three running backs this season and will continue to use Bill Belton and Akeel Lynch in the ground game.

True freshman Marcus Allen started in place of Keiser on Saturday and will likely see more playing time along with senior captain Jesse Della Valle at safety moving forward.

Hamilton picks up honor

Penn State receiver DaSean Hamilton’s record-setting performance on Saturday led him to honors from the conference.

Hamilton was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday, on the heels of his program-record 14-catch game against Ohio State on Saturday. He picked up 126 yards on those receptions, giving him four 100-yard games in the first seven contests of his career, during the Nittany Lions’ 31-24 double-overtime loss to Ohio State on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium.

The redshirt freshman surpassed the previous record of 13 catches by Freddie Scott against Wisconsin in 1995.

Hamilton leads the Big Ten and is eighth in Division I averaging 8.1 catches per game, and his 98.0-yards-per-game average is second in the conference and 16th in the nation, and is best among freshmen.

For the season, he has 57 catches for 686 yards and one touchdown.

Penn State hosts Maryland at noon Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

Kick time

with Hoosiers set

Penn State’s game against Indiana will kick off at noon on Nov. 8.

The contest at Memorial Stadium will be shown on the Big Ten Network.

The kickoff times for the rest of the Nittany Lions schedule after meeting the Hoosiers have yet to be announced.

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